All Posts By

Roberta Emerson

Apr 30
0

Read About Our Stars!

By | LVPAC News | No Comments

You won’t want to miss the fun at Dancing with the Tri-Valley Stars on May 12! After one week of prep and practice, six local luminaries will join professional dancers from the Utah Ballroom Dance Company to strut their stuff in pursuit of winning the mirrorball trophy.  Read about the stars in Carol Graham’s excellent overview in The Independent Magazine.  You’ll find out why NBC Sports Anchor Dave Lewis won’t be doing any break dancing but jumped at the chance to compete with the others in the event:

“This event is the perfect balance between fun and a true competition,”
Lewis adds. “The experience represents living a more adventurous life —
to try new things and take a chance. Let’s dance!”

Of course, it could be because he’s just up for the challenge of besting friend and fellow middle school basketball coach, realtor Mony Nop. You’ll also find out why Juliette Lewis agreed to join in (hint … her kids are behind her all the way!), as well as what motivates radio personality, Faith Alpher, and our two city council members Bob Carling (Livermore) and Karla Brown (Pleasanton.) Whether they’re planning to rely on physical skills in other arenas, dance lessons, or sheer confidence, they’re all enthusiastic if a little nervous too.

VOTE FOR THE WINNER. You’ll play a part too! Choose your favorite and while the votes are tallied and the judges consult, enjoy a performance of spectacular ballroom dance by the Utah Ballroom Dance Company. Proceeds from the event will benefit discounted student tickets all year round at the Bankhead. So, as executive director Scott Kenison told Carol.

“Come out to enjoy a fun evening and support our stars. There are no losers;
everyone who puts on their dancing shoes is a winner!”

DON’T MISS THE FUN!

Download and read the whole article Dancing with Tri-Valley Stars_May 2018
Check out the Stars bios HERE.
And be sure to BUY TICKETS for the show!

 

Apr 20
1

NEW SHOWS JUST ADDED!

By | LVPAC News | No Comments

(Shown: Better Than Ezra, Lee Greenwood, and Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel)

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Now there’s twice as much to enjoy at the Bankhead this summer!
See the full list HERE

 

Six new shows including a community concert have been added to the Bankhead Presents line-up from June through August.  As a red, white and blue close to Independence Week, country music legend Lee Greenwood will take the stage on July 6 with songs such as his patriotic hit “God Bless the U.S.A.” as well as “I.O.U.,” “Dixie Road” and “Going, Going, Gone.”

The American music theme runs through the rest of the summer with the folk music of New Christy Minstrels on July 27 when they return to celebrate the 85th birthday of founder Randy Sparks.  The irresistible Western swing sound of Asleep at the Wheel comes back to the Bankhead on August 20.  We know both bands have a loyal local following here in Livermore! Joining the line up will be Montreal-based artistic collective Cirquantique with their dazzling cabaret burlesque show “Bang! Bang!” and popular 1980s alt-rock band Better Than Ezra making their first appearance at the Bankhead.

This August, the Bankhead will also host a community concert with all seats $20: “Psychedelic Summer” will feature local favorite rock band LunaFish, joined on stage by guest artists and friends, they’ll entertain audiences with everyone’s favorite tunes from the sixties and seventies — Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane and more!

SEE the full summer line up and buy previously announced shows, which include pop icon Rita Coolidge, singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin, Rockapella touring with The Company Men, blues-rock band Indigenous with Chris Duarte, and more.

For the first time, every show in the Bankhead Presents series has a limited quantity of seats priced at just $20 each. Students and active military personnel are eligible for discounted tickets all year long. Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center strives to make the arts accessible for all ages. In addition to live music and comedy this summer, the new Family Fun Film Series will include “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” (June 20), “The Princess Bride” (July 25), and “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” (August 15). Screened on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 pm, admission for the family films is just $5 each!

ALL TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

Become a member now and you’ll hear about new shows first,
receive a 10% discount all year long, and other member benefits. 

Apr 09
0

Interview: Rita Coolidge

By | LVPAC News | No Comments

In a wide ranging interview with writer Lou Fancher at the East Bay Times, pop icon Rita Coolidge talks about her early days in the music industry when men held all the power and the impact that had on women, how she see things changing now, and why it matters. She also discusses the many people who have had an influence on her life and her music — from her grandmother and her Cherokee heritage, to fellow musicians and leaders of the modern day blues era.

Coolidge has put her whole heart into her recently released album “Safe in the Arms of Love” She co-wrote three of the 12 songs on the album and the entire album reflects the pain, uplifting recovery and strength she has found in her life.

“It’s about the wonderful possibilities we have to experience love, embrace the tragedies, to keep going. The record is about that joy.
I want for women and men to realize love is always around, you just have to open your eyes and heart.”

Read the whole article HERE and then buy tickets to see Rita Coolidge in the intimate 500 seat Bankhead Theater. For more about Rita, visit the event page.

RITA COOLIDGE

Saturday, July 7 at 8pm

BUY TICKETS NOW!

Mar 24
0

Tri-Valley Star Watch!

By | LVPAC News | No Comments

East Bay Times profiled two of our Tri-Valley Stars as they get ready for the event.  Read about what Dave Lewis and Juliette Goodrich are (and are not) doing in the six weeks leading up ot the show on May 12th HERE.

Paired with a professional dancer from the Utah Ballroom Dance Company, each of the six local luminaries will practice for a week with their partners then take the stage to show off their talent and showmanship.

Who will win?  A city council member? A radio personality? A real estate agent? A former police office? An actor or actress? A star reporter? The author of a children’s book?  YOU DECIDE … The audience will join the panel of judges to choose the winner, so don’t miss this opportunity to be in on the voting and award the glittering prize.

Want to find out who will be on stage?  CLICK HERE TO SEE THE CAST and then BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW.  You won’t want to miss out on all the fun!

Mar 19
0

Catapult’s Magic Shadows

By | LVPAC News | No Comments

As Seen on “America’s Got Talent”!

Catapult is all about the human body and its ability to transform

Founded in 2009 by Adam Battelstein, Catapult soared to national recognition as a finalist on season eight of “America’s Got Talent” (watch it here) with their fascinating combination of shadow dance, storytelling and living sculpture.  Described by Northwest Indiana Times as “a contemporary twist to the ancient Chinese art of shadow theaters,” Catapult is all about the human body and its ability to transform. 

While their faces are rarely seen or recognized, the eight superb dancers of Catapult, five women and three men, are at the heart of the company’s imaginative and theatrical artistry. Many of them have worked together for years, bringing skills from their work in prestigious companies, Broadway performances, and on stages and festivals around the world. With carefully choreographed movements, they create shapes that shift and move seamlessly forming new images so quickly and smoothly, it is impossible to imagine how it was done or what will emerge next. Click here and watch Catapult in action.

Adam Battelstein sheds a little light on what actually happens behind the curtain at Catapult.

How did you start creating shadow dances?

I danced with Pilobolus for 19 years, as well as other companies such as MOMIX. I studied ballet and modern dance, but my true skill lay in my athleticism and a knack for slapstick which came from my acting training. I began choreographing this shadow technique with a team from Pilobolus. It brings together my dance, theater and English literature training, as well as a sense of shape and proportion I inherited from my mother who was a sculptor.

When you decide to create a new shadow, can you tell in advance how to do it?

I try to imagine how the bodies will fit together and draw some possibilities. It’s like mental Tetris, only with bodies! But much of the time I’m wrong or only half right, so we always have to experiment in the studio too.

What else do you use beside the dancers’ bodies?

We use a variety of costumes and props cut from cardboard or foam core. The backstage area literally looks like the wreckage after a tornado, but the dancers know where each bit is supposed to be and somehow they find their stuff even in the dark.

How do you prepare for the shows?

Shadow making is difficult and we go over trouble spots every day to fix any traffic problems or new issues. The dancers eat, relax and warm up before the show and there are rituals that have evolved too, such as coming together in a circle with hands in the middle. I don’t pretend to understand their magic but we all do them and don’t dare change them for fear of a jinx!

What will Livermore audiences see?

Every performance has a number of stories and each one has its own personality and style. For example, The Four Seasons, which is set to music from Vivaldi’s Concertos, is a series of magical transformations around images of each season.

Catapult captivates audiences with hundreds of shape transformations that convey a story through images, movement and music. Full of humor and emotion, their stories come together in a mesmerizing afternoon of entertainment that guarantees that those watching will never look at their own shadow in quite the same way again.

Catapult “Magic Shadows” Matinee — Perfect for Families
Sunday, March 25 at 3:00 pm

DON’T MISS THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE SHOW LIVE!

BUY TICKETS NOW

 

 

Mar 06
0

At the Bankhead

By | Uncategorized | No Comments

ON SALE NOW!

 

Fri May 11 at 8pm The Best of SF Comedy Competition all seats $30

Sat May 12 at 8pm  Dancing with the Tri-Valley Stars  from $30

Sat May 19 at 8pm  BODYTRAFFIC from $40

BANKHEAD PRESENTS  SUMMER SEASON!

Tue Jun 5 at 7:30pm  Cirquantique “Bang!Bang!” 

Wed Jun 13 at 7:30pm  Better Than Ezra

Thu Jun 21 at 7:30pm  Shawn Colvin

Fri Jul 6 at 8:00pm Lee Greenwood

Sat Jul 7 at 8pm  Rita Coolidge

Fri Jul 13 at 8pm  Derik Nelson & Family

Fri Jul 27 at 8pm  New Christy Minstrels

Fri Aug 3 at 8pm “Psychedelic Summer” with LunaFish and Friends

Sun Aug 12 at 3pm  Rockapella & The Company Men 

Fri Aug 17 at 8pm  Indigenous with Chris Duarte

Sat Aug 18 at 8pm Keiko Matsui

Mon Aug 20 at 7:30pm  Asleep at the Wheel

Sat Sep 1 at 8pm Southern Fried Chicks: Cage Free Comedy Tour

 

The 2018-2019 BANKHEAD PRESENTS SEASON
will be announced MAY 23

Member Only Presale until JUNE 13

Be the first to get your tickets … become a member now!

 

Mar 06
1

Summer at the Bankhead!

By | LVPAC News | No Comments

Top: Rita Coolidge, Derik Nelson & Family, Shawn Colvin, Keiko Matsui, Mato Nanji of Indigenous
Bottom: Southern Fried Chicks, Rockapella
Not shown: The Company Men, Chris Duarte

ON SALE NOW!

The 2018 SUMMER SERIES at the Bankhead Theater is now on sale! Seven great shows are planned at the Bankhead, running from June through the beginning of September. See the LIST here. MEMBERS receive 10% off single tickets or 15% off five or more shows.* Members log in here to buy now.  Membership starts at just $125. Click HERE to become a member today!

This summer the Bankhead Theater will welcome the return of such favorites as legendary pop icon Rita Coolidge, a two-time Grammy Award-winner who filled the theater in 2012. Her timeless hits such as “Higher and Higher” and “We’re All Alone” topped the charts in the 1970s and she has explored other genres as well including classic jazz tunes and music that pays tribute to her Native American heritage. Keiko Matsui returns in August with her signature contemporary smooth jazz  and this summer marks the third visit to the Bankhead for the powerful full-band vocal sound of Rockapella. In an afternoon of pure vocal magic, Rockapella will share the stage with The Company Men, whose voices blend  in irresistible mash-ups of hit songs, both classic and modern.

 ROCKAPELLA & THE COMPANY MEN

Several other artists will make their first visit to Livermore including singer/songwriter Shawn Colvin and the American blues-rock band Indigenous, featuring Mato Nanji, with Chris Duarte. A night of laughter will bring the Series to a close on September 1st with the Southern Fried Chicks’ hilarious take on life and love in their “Cage Free Comedy Tour!”

And this summer don’t miss Derik Nelson & Family! The three talented siblings, Derik, Riana and Dalten Nelson, will return with their perfectly-blended folk and jazz harmonies only a family can deliver. As they did last year, the three will lead a week-long music workshop tailored to teens that focuses on musicianship, songwriting and performance techniques. The workshop builds skills and confidence through both one-on-one technique building and group interaction and ends with a student performance on the stage of the Bankhead. On Friday evening, July 13th, audiences can enjoy Derik Nelson & Family’s full multi-media concert experience.  The workshop will be open to middle school and high school students and run Monday through Friday from 10am to 4pm. Registration

  DERIK NELSON AND FAMILY MUSIC WORKSHOP

in addition to the Summer Series at the Bankhead, resident company Tri-Valley Repertory Theater will present “Disney’s The Little Mermaid” for seven performances from July 21st through August 5th.  Other events are planned throughout the summer from community concerts to film screenings.  Visit the website frequently for updates and stay in touch by joining our email list on the bottom of our homepage.  View all the Bankhead Presents shows on sale HERE and order your tickets today. It’s summertime at the Bankhead … you won’t want to miss out!

DON’T MISS SUMMER AT THE BANKHEAD
BUY YOUR TICKETS NOW!

 

* Members receive 10% off single tickets and a 15% discount on FIVE or more Bankhead Presents shows. If you’re a member login here. If you’re not a member, consider joining today! Memberships start at just $125. In addition to supporting the arts, you’ll be among the first to hear about any new shows and receive member discounts all year long. Additional benefits are available at higher levels.

 

Jan 30
0

Film Series Opens January 31!

By | LVPAC News | No Comments

For those who love the Golden Age of film musicals … or who just want to enjoy an affordable, entertaining evening with a happy ending … the opening of the Bankhead’s Classic Film Musical Series on January 31st is not to be missed!  Starting with An American in Paris — a 1950’s gem featuring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron — the four-film series is a showcase of some of the most beloved musicals of the era.  With retro pricing — just $5 a ticket — the evening will be a journey into the past with music from the era on the player piano in the lobby, popcorn and movie theater treats for sale, and a newsreel and cartoon from the era before the film begins.

Considered one of the highlights of his career, Gene Kelly both produced and starred in this story of an ex-GI, Jerry Mulligan, who stayed in Paris after WWII to pursue his art. When Mulligan (Kelly) falls in love with the lovely Parisian shop girl Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron), they discover their personal obligations to others complicate their budding romance. The movie captures a carefree Paris and portrays an infectious camraderie between friends that supercedes the complexities of the inevitable love triangle. An American in Paris, contains some of the most famous and treasured songs by George and Ira Gershwin such as “S’Wonderful,” “Embraceable You,” and “I’ve Got Rhythm.”  The brilliant ballet sequence set to the title work, one of Gershwin’s greatest orchestral scores, helped earn the film six Academy Awards including Best Picture.

An American in Paris is so beloved that a stage musical based on the film opened on Broadway in 2015, won two Tony Awards, and has since toured the country to great acclaim. If you enjoyed the classic film, love Broadway musicals, the music of Gershwin, or are just a sucker for a happy ending,  you won’t want to miss An American in Paris or any of the others in the Classic Film Musical Series at the Bankhead!

An American in Paris on January 31 — Easter Parade on March 14 — Singin’ in the Rain on May 2 — Shall We Dance on June 6

More Information and Tickets HERE

 

On a personal note: This project has been a joy for me to work on.  I grew up watching classic films at a small local movie theater and these are four of my all-time favorites. My father has always shared his wonderful memories of going with his big sister to see Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies. He told me how they laughed at the cartoons and watched the newsreels before the show … a whole afternoon of fun for just 15 cents!  In these turbulent times, I hope these evenings can recapture and share some of that sheer pleasure from times past … with lovely music, sensational dancing, and a happy ending… what’s not to love?  — Roberta Emerson, Marketing Manager

 

Jan 18
1

Dazzling Displays!

By | LVPAC News | No Comments

Walked by the Bankhead Theater lately?

If you come up the walkway from the street or parking garage on Railroad Avenue you can’t miss the three new digital displays running along the side of the building. Hundreds of performances and events are now held at the Bankhead each year — music of all kinds, dance, theater, comedy, and more — we welcome a diverse range of artists that appeal to different audiences. More opportunities were needed to let people know about upcoming shows at the theater.

Having digital screens replace the static print posters inside the glass cases on the side of the building had been on the wish list for some time, but we were only just recently able to complete the project. The bright, colorful displays went up on January 4th and are computer controlled from inside the building so they can be changed easily to reflect new information. More than a dozen upcoming events can be on display at any given time with each of three panels rotating 3-5 different images.

Take a stroll by the Bankhead and see the Displays …
then just walk around the corner to buy your tickets! 

And if you won’t be downtown in the near future, check out upcoming events here. 

 

 

Jan 04
0

Don’t Wait to Buy Tickets!

By | LVPAC News | No Comments

Bankhead Shows Are Selling Fast!

Everyone has done it … seen an announcement for an interesting concert, show or program but waited to buy tickets.  In the past, many people have assumed they could wait until a few days before the show or even walk up to the window that day and buy a ticket. But this past year they just might have been wrong!

Since the beginning of summer 2017, more than a dozen shows presented by Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center have sold out completely. And three more this January and February are already at capacity. From comedian Paula Poundstone’s sold out show on July 7th, through the New Year’s Eve celebration with Crawdad Republic last month, plus performances by resident companies, audiences have been flocking to the Bankhead to enjoy all types of entertainment.

In November, concerts by both viral video pop sensation OK GO and the legendary smooth vocals of Manhattan Transfer completely filled the house.  It was particularly satisfying having those two sell out without 10 days of each other, said Executive Director Scott Kenison. “The two reflect our ability to interest very different audiences, reaching people who attend regularly as well as welcoming new faces.” OK GO attracted audience across a board age range as well as pulled people from Sacramento and even further to see their show.

The shows have also been selling more quickly. OK GO, which went on sale to the public in June, was completely sold out by the end of August, and the single performance by ukulele master, Jake Shimabukuro, sold even faster. A late addition to the 2017-2018 season, Shimabukuro’s February show went on sale in early October and reached capacity in just three weeks. One of the benefits of LVPAC membership is advance ticket purchase and a portion of the tickets were sold to members prior to the public-on-sale date. Nonetheless, according to Kenison, the day tickets were first available to the public marked one of the largest single sales days in the Bankhead’s decade-long history.

“We know not every show will be a sell out,” says Kenison. “Some artists are less well known and some types of shows have more limited appeal, but we’re committed to offering a wide range of musical genres and reaching out to everyone with shows they’ll enjoy.”

So if you hear about a show you think you might want to see, buy your tickets as soon as possible! Five for Fighting with String Quartet (Jan 25) and Vicki Lawrence & Mama (Jan 26) are already sold out. Upcoming shows such as Marc Cohn (Jan 19), Lee Ann Womack (Feb 19), Richard Marx (May 3), and Capitol Steps (May 6) are expected to be fully sold as well.  We’ll be announcing our Summer Series at the Bankhead in just a few weeks. Get on the mailing list at the bottom right side of our homepage and you’ll hear about it in your email.  Better yet, become a member now and you’ll be eligible to buy your tickets before everyone else. You won’t want to miss out!

Check out the list of remaining shows in the 2017-2018 Season here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Call 925.373.6800 or email websales@livermoreperformingarts.org for tickets and information